Frameworks, devices and methods configured for enabling touch/gesture controlled display for facility information and content with resolution dependent display and persistent content positioning

Abstract

Described herein are frameworks, devices and methods configured for enabling display for facility information and content, in some cases via touch/gesture controlled interfaces. Embodiments of the invention have been particularly developed for allowing an operator to conveniently access a wide range of information relating to a facility via, for example, one or more wall mounted displays. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer implemented method comprising:
 displaying a map layer including data associated with an area of a facility, wherein the map layer is navigable by way of a pan and a zoom operation defined with respect to the map layer; 
 displaying on the map layer, a content control object associated with a facility resource of the facility; 
 monitoring the facility resource for an occurrence of an event; and 
 in response to detection of the event, displaying a content display object based on at least one of the pan and the zoom operation of the map layer, wherein the content display object comprises content associated with the detected event of the facility resource. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying on the map layer, at least one content display object associated with each of a plurality of different sub-systems of the facility, wherein the facility includes at least one of: an access control system, a video surveillance system, an HVAC system, and an energy management system. 
     
     
       3. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising concurrently displaying first content in the content display object associated with a first one of a plurality of different sub-systems and second content associated with a second one of the plurality of different sub-systems. 
     
     
       4. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input, wherein the user input is at least one of a touch input, a gesture input, and a voice input; 
 interacting with at least one of the content control object and the content display object in accordance with the user input; 
 navigating over the map layer to the facility resource based on a reference in the user input; and 
 displaying, based on the reference of the facility resource in the user input, at least one of: information associated with the facility resource and the content display object associated with the facility resource. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein interacting with at least one of the content control object and the content display object in accordance with the user input comprises:
 launching a pop-up window to provide at least one of: a view of the facility resource and one or more controls, wherein the view of the facility resource comprises at least one of a video from a camera associated with the facility resource and data from a sensor, and wherein the one or more controls comprises at least one option to control the video from the camera. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a map un-binding command from a user to un-bind the content display object bound to the map layer; and 
 un-binding the content display object from the map layer based on the map un-binding command. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically applying a visual indicator to or adjacent the content control object associated with the facility resource, wherein the visual indicator indicates that the event corresponds to a predetermined detected condition. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the map layer including the data associated with the area of the facility further comprises displaying a floorplan that includes at least one building and one or more floors of the building along with visual features associated with the one or more floors of the building. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the map layer on a plurality of screens, wherein a first screen of the plurality of screens is configured to display a map-based interface along with a plurality of content control objects, and wherein a second screen of the plurality of screens is configured to display a plurality of content display objects, and wherein a third screen of the plurality of screens is configured to display at least one of a diagnostic information of the facility resource and information regarding the facility. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input to re-position at least a portion of the content associated with the detected event of the facility resource from the first screen to the second screen separate from the first screen; and 
 in response to receiving the user input, repositioning at least the portion of the content associated with the detected event of the facility resource from the first screen to the second screen. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a plurality of content control objects on the map layer, wherein a first set of the plurality of content control objects is displayed at a first zoom level and a second set of the plurality of content control objects different from the first set of the plurality of content control objects is displayed at a second zoom level. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the content control object on the map layer at a predefined zoom level; 
 detecting the event associated with the facility resource of the facility; and 
 launching, by the content control object, the content display object on the map layer at at least one zoom level other than the predefined zoom level. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input to display the content display object on the map layer; and 
 displaying the content display object at a persistent location relative to the map layer in response to the user input. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that when executed cause one or more processors to:
 display a map layer including data associated with an area of a facility, wherein the map layer is navigable by way of a pan and a zoom operation defined with respect to the map layer; 
 display on the map layer, a plurality of content control objects each associated with at least one of a plurality of facility resources of the facility; 
 monitor a first facility resource for an occurrence of an event; and 
 display a content display object after detection of the event based on at least one of the pan and the zoom operation of the map layer, wherein the content display object displays content associated with the first facility resource. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the one or more processors to concurrently display first content in the content display object associated with a first facility resource and second content associated with a second facility resource of the plurality of facility resources. 
     
     
       16. A system comprising:
 a memory for storing a map layer including image data representative of an area of a facility; 
 an I/O interface for interfacing with a plurality of facility resources of the facility; 
 a controller operatively coupled to the memory and the I/O interface, the controller:
 renders for display at least part of the map layer, wherein the map layer is navigable by way of a pan and a zoom operation defined with respect to the map layer; 
 renders for display on the map layer a content control object associated with a facility resource of the facility; 
 monitors the facility resource for an occurrence of an event; and 
 renders for display on the map layer a content display object based on at least one of the pan and the zoom operation of the map layer in response to detection of the event, the content display object comprises content associated with the detected event of the facility resource. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 render first content in the content display object associated with a first one of a plurality of different sub-systems and second content associated with a second one of the plurality of different sub-systems, where the facility resource is part of the first one of the plurality of different sub-systems and is not part of the second one of the plurality of different sub-systems. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive a user input to customize a functionality of the content control object; 
 customize the functionality of the content control object based on the user input; 
 identify one or more attributes of a user; and 
 render for display one or more content control objects based at least in part on the one or more identified attributes of the user. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of screens, wherein the plurality of screens comprises:
 a first screen configured to display a map-based interface along with a plurality of content control objects; 
 a second screen configured to display a plurality of content display objects; and 
 a third screen configured to display at least one of a diagnostic information of the facility resource and information regarding the facility, wherein the facility includes at least one of: an access control system, a video surveillance system, an HVAC system, and an energy management system. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the I/O interface is configured to display:
 a first set of a plurality of content control objects and first information on the map layer at a first zoom level; and 
 a second set of the plurality of content control objects different from the first set of the plurality of content control objects and second information on the map layer at a second zoom level, wherein the second information is detailed than the first information.